Bart D. Ehrman God's Problem

In response to Fresh Air's Feb. 19, 2008 segment with Dr. Bart Ehrman, I post this as there may be some who may have been misled with the argument presented on suffering. During the episode, the discussion simply glosses over 'freewill' and doesn't get to the root of original sin as recorded in Genesis 3. Without that as a foundation it is easy to make a weak argument on the origin of suffering and say it's God's problem. To the contrary, including this text would help show that Eve and Adam brought suffering on themselves and bestowed it on their descendants.

Without mentioning our original temporal parents, the origin of suffering isn't addressed. This is not to say that Ehrman doesn't reflect on the Bible. His comments during the segment are peppered with references to the prophets, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, etc. but interestingly avoids Gen. 3 which would soundly defeat the remainder of his statements on this episode.

Whether Ehrman believes his statements to the degree that he implies on the episode or whether he simply makes the statements to incite debate and the purchase of his book, I'm not sure. Below is the text of the email that I sent to Dr. Ehrman to which I didn't receive much of an argument to the contrary.

I didn't hear any mention of what happened in the Garden of Eden which offers the origin of man's suffering (i.e. Genesis chapter 3). With that in mind, it offers a reference point for suffering being a curse on the planet and all humanity. A similar comparison can be made to an infant touching a hot iron or burner. The scar or burn from that incident may mar their skin for the rest of that individual's life just as the fall of man and subsequent curse has marred the remainder of life on this planet with suffering.

Similarly, during the discussion with Ms. Gross about Job there was no mention of how everything was restored to Job and many times more. With the entirety of Job's life in mind (i.e. initial wealth, loss, restoration of wealth), we can view suffering from a vantage point where whether we suffer or not won't change our opinion of God. Job's wife challenged him to curse God and die, but his opinion of God wasn't dependent on physical wealth or material blessing as Satan suggested.

Final Chapter Opens on Dodgers East Coast Home

Vero Beach - On a sunny Sunday March afternoon the Dodgers again made a final home connection with New York. One time Brooklyn, NY residents, the now Los Angeles-based baseball team for a final time at Dodgertown played the New York Mets. The 60-year Dodger Spring Training home will soon serve another team. Next year, the Dodgers will train in Arizona.

I experienced the game sitting next to the father of one of the Dodgers young pitchers who was accompanied by his wife, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. How fitting that this former Brooklyn resident experienced the game with several generations of baseball fans who will soon have Dodgertown as a memory in Dodger lore as many remember Ebbets Field, the Dodger's Brooklyn home. Pictured in the dugout are Brooklyn-born Joe Torre who now manages the Dodgers, on his right is former Brooklyn Dodger player and long-time Los Angeles Dodger manager Tom Lasorda.

Brett Favre retirement press conference

What you saw today in Brett Favre's retirement press conference was true to the what-you-see-is-what-you-get style of the NFL's most prolific quarterback. He opened by thanking God for blessing him with the talent he has and how he allowed him to use it. Later he reflected on having recently seen highlights of his comments during interviews over his career and how much spunk he exhibited early on. He hinted at likely answering the questions differently at this stage in his life but admitted that his playing career wouldn't have lasted as long if he had the perspective that he has today and was glad not to have had his current perspective then. Towards the end of the press conference, he answered a question about the reason for his national appeal and simply responded that his appeal as others have said is how easily people could relate to him in the sense that he was simply like everyone else; having similar problems, having loved ones die, having those near him battle illness, etc. He said he considered wearing a suit but simply decided to come as himself. The attached picture shows he dressed similarly (in jeans) during a Super Bowl week press conference in Phoenix. Standing to his right, is host Phil Simms, and seated with him is Jacksonville Jaguar Fred Taylor. Simms presented them the FedEx Air and Ground awards.